Shoe-stretcher.



0. E. STONE.-

SHOE STBETGHER. Arrum'non'rnnn JAN. 21,1908.

, Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

, Qttowpm:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORRIN EARL STONE, OF WINSTED, CONNECTICUT.

SHOE-STRETCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORRIN E. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'insted, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe stretchers, and the object of this invention is to provide a device intended for reshaping the toes of worn and creased shoes, and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of a simple and cheap construction, which may be placed within the shoes and retained therein'at a sufficient tension for reshaping the shoes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character with which a number of shaping plates may be applied to correspond to the various sizes of the shoes.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe stretching device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the upper arm of the device showing a shaping plate in position thereon. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower arm with a bearing plate pivotally connected thereto. Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the upper arm illustrating the method of connecting the shaping plate thereon. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the upper arm, showing the position ofthe spring pressed locking plate thereon and in engagement with the toothed rack carried by the lower arm. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the bearing plate detached from the lower arms, and showing its connection with an extension plate, whereby an increased bearing surface is obtained, and Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section upon the line 77 of Fig. 6.

As illustrated in the drawings my improved shoe stretching and shaping device comprises a pair of arms or levers 1 and 2. The arm 1, comprising the upper member is extended at an angle for a suitable distance and then bent downwardly as at 3 to provide an offset whereby the device may be easily inserted within a shoe. The offset 3 is continued in a substantially horizontal line and has its extremity upturned as at 4 and provided with a central perforation 5, screw threaded to receive the threaded shank 6 of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. January 21, 1908.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 411,998.

shaping plate 7. At or about the point of meeting of the offset 3 and the horizontal extension the arm 1 is provided with a rearwardly projecting ear 8 having a perforation 9, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described. The arm 1 is also provided with a central slot or opening 10, at a suitable portion of its length, and is also provided with a sliding locking plate 11 working between ribs 12, provided by the arm, and being normally pressed in the direction of the slot 10 by a spring 13. The lower arm 2 also comprises an angular member provided with an offset 14 divided at its lower portion to provide the bifurcated arms 15. arms 15 terminate in downwardly extending flattened portions 16 having perforations adapted for the reception of retaining elements 17, by which the arms are pivotally secured to ears 18 of a bearing plate 19. Near the extremity of the offset 14 of the arm 2 the bifurcated arms 15 are provided with a suitable perforation 20 adapted for the reception of a pintle 21 by which the arm 1 is secured to the arm 2, the pintle 21 engaging the perforation 9 provided upon the ear 8 of the said arm 1. The arm 2 is provided with an upwardly extending toothed rack 22, adapted to engage within the slot 10 of the arm 1 and to have its teeth acted upon by the slide 12, whereby the arms 1 and 2 are secured in required relation thereto.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a device for increasing the size of the bearing plate 19. This member comprises a flat plate 23 hav ing an L-shaped portion upon its face, of a size and shape corresponding with that of the plate 19, and in connecting the extension with the plate, the edges of the plate 19 are slipped within the groove formed by the L-shaped extension and securely retained thereon. A variety of sizes of extension plates 23 are adapted to be employed with my improvement, whereby a bearing may be obtained upon any of the different sizes of shoes.

The shaping plate 7, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings is preferably retained upon the arm 1 by a screw threaded plug engaging a screw threaded perforation within the upturned portion of the arm, and it will be understood that any number and variety of sha es of these plates are to be employed wit the device, whereby the different sizes and shapes of shoe toes may be accommodated when forming or stretching the shoe.

From the above description it will be seen The bifurcated that I have provided an extremely simple,

shaping; and bearing plates carried by the arms may be spread from each other by sim plydrawing the arms together, and be retained in the desired position by the spring pressed locking plate engaging with the teeth of the rack 22. It will, of course, be understood that by simply retracting the locking plate the device may be easily extracted from the shoe. It will be also noted that provisions are made whereby different sized shaping plates and bearing plates are readily applied to the device whereby the various sizes and shapes of shoes are readily stretched and shaped.

v' fhile I have described my device as primarily intended for reshaping old or worn shoes, it will be understood that it may be effectively used for raising top caps of new shoes which have become depressed by being packed in boxes. It will be further understood that the device may be effectively used for elevating any portion of the cap or upper of a shoe to relieve the pressure of corns or bunions.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising two pivoted arms, a fixed shaping plate carried by one of said arms, and a pivotally mounted bearing plate carried by the other of said arms.

2. A device of the class described comprising two pivotally mounted arms, a shaping plate detachably connected to one of said arms, a pivot'ally mounted bearing plate carried by the other of said arms, and means carried by said arms for holding said. plates in their adjusted position.

3. A device of the class described comprising two pivotally mounted arms, a shaping plate detachably connected to one of said arms, a pivotally mounted bearing plate carried by the other of said arms, and an eXtension plate detachably connected with said bearing plate.

4. As an article of manufacture, a shoe stretcher comprising two arms, one of said arms being bifurcated, the other of said arms being" provided with an ear disposed between the bifurcated portions and pivotally connected thereto, a detachable shaping plate carried by one of said arms, and a bearing plate having ears pivotally mounted. on the arms of the bifurcated portion of the other arm.

5. A device of the class described comprising two pivotally mounted arms, one of said arms being bifurcated to form parallel spaced members, the other arm having portions disposed between the parallel spaced members and adapted to guide the same in its movement, a shaping plate carried by one of said arms, and a bearing plate carried by the other arm.

In testimony whereof I ELi'llX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERIN EARL STONE. \Vitnesses EDWARD L. BooMER, EDWARD J. PRATT. 

